The president was not happy; Egypt, unlike Libya, is crucial to American
security interests, given its peace treaty with Israel. At 11 p.m.,
from his hotel suite in Stapleton, Colo., Mr. Obama got on the phone
with Mr. Morsi, who began by offering condolences on the American deaths
in Libya.

But that was not what Mr. Obama was calling about.

“The president made his point that we’ve been committed to the process
of change in Egypt, and we want to continue to build a relationship with
the Egyptian government,” said a senior administration official. “But
he made it clear how important it is that the Egyptian government work
with us to lower the tension both in terms of the practical cooperation
they give us and the statements they make.”

Mr. Morsi brought up the American-made video attacking the Prophet
Muhammad, which had set off the violent protests, and Mr. Obama said he
understood the ire felt by Muslims, but added that it did not justify
attacks on the embassy.

Mr. Obama urged Mr. Morsi to publicly and strongly condemn the attacks.
He had already signaled his displeasure earlier, saying in an interview
on Telemundo that Egypt was not necessarily an “ally,” although White
House officials were playing down the remark on Thursday.

“ ‘Ally’ is a legal term of art,” said Tommy Vietor, a spokesman with
the National Security Council. “We don’t have a mutual defense treaty
with Egypt like we do with our NATO allies.”

So Obama was simply signalling his frustration; nothing to see here, move on. Well, I suppose Telemundo and Rachel Maddow are not the traditional route for diplomatic signalling, but in this day and age, maybe that beats a Twitter announcement.

But the Times has left out so much that an eager reader relying on the Paper of Record will never be able to guess that an alternative view - that Obama was simply enjoying the sound of his Magic Mouth and reliving his college campus bullshit sessions - is more likely. Let's cut to this AP Fact Check available at the Washington Post:

WASHINGTON — This week’s storming of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo by an
angry mob has sent U.S.-Egyptian relations to a new low, prompting
President Barack Obama to say he doesn’t see the two countries as
allies.

But under U.S. law, they are.

...

The statement marks an abrupt change from decades when Washington and
Cairo were ironclad partners in fighting terrorism, countering Iran’s
influence in the region and promoting Arab-Israeli peace.

...

And while Obama may think Egypt isn’t acting like an ally right now, by U.S. designation it remains one.

The
United States designated Egypt as one of the six original “major
non-NATO allies” in the 1980s. The status is now enjoyed by 15 U.S.
“allies” in total, including Israel, Japan, Australia and South Korea.

Non-NATO
allies are granted streamlined defense cooperation, making it easier
for them to buy American military equipment and satisfy U.S. export
control regulations.

Asked about Egypt’s status, State Department
spokeswoman Victoria Nuland confirmed Thursday that the administration
still considers it a major non-NATO ally of the United States.

Wait - you mean there is a law involved? Our allies aren't just determined by Presidential smiles and frowns?

That notice was not given following Egypt's (lawful) transition to the post-Mubarak regime, nor is there any plan whatsoever to cut Egypt loose and put their peace treaty with Israel at risk. Nor does Obama have any intention of listening to "Who lost Egypt?" criticisms before November, if he can avoid them.

Terminating Egypt's status as an ally has not happened, which means the President's ruminations and bloviations about "I don’t think that we would consider them an ally..." are nonsense. Further undermining the notion that this was crafty diplo-signalling is this bit from the Times excerpt above:

“The president made his point that we’ve been committed to the process
of change in Egypt, and we want to continue to build a relationship with
the Egyptian government,”

We want to build and improve the thirty year relationship but it might all end tomorrow? Was that really how the phone call went?

As to whether this was part of a plan, the Foreign Policy account of the White House backpedaling includes this:

Administration
sources told The Cable that Obama's "ally"
comment was not pre-arranged or prepared by staff and that the question was not
anticipated.

Don't you hate it when the staff throws the boss under the bus?

The WaPo also found the courage to cover this as a news story (buried at one of their many blogs):

White House clarifies after Obama says Egypt not ‘ally’

In an interview
with the Spanish-language network Telemundo Wednesday night, President
Obama said Egypt’s relationship with the U.S. is complicated: “”I don’t
think that we would consider them an ally, but we don’t consider them an
enemy.”

In fact, Egypt was declared a “Major Non-NATO ally” in 1989. So White House staff is doing a little clarifying today.

The breadth and depth of those clarifications are more clear in the Foreign Policy piece cited above.

Ed Morrissey noted the shock felt by NBC News' man in Cairo at the notion that Obama was pitching Egypt under the bus.

And the press corps at the State Department briefing hung a huge "No Sale" sign on the idea that Egypt's status as an ally was really in play.

But none of that happened in TimesWorld, where reporters are eagerly awaiting the next Romney statement so they can gaffe-check it.

OBAMA UNPLUGGED: Surely Obama doesn't just talk first and reflect afterwards when he is on the diplomatic stage? Of course he does, and stop calling me 'Shirley'.

Back in 2007 Obama was just making it up when he promised to meet Iran's leaders without pre-conditions (Matt Yglesias extolled the virtues of this creative "foreign policy by gaffe" approach.

In 2008 Obama was free-associating when he told AIPAC he favored an undivided Jerusalem. That one, his advisors couldn't rationalize.

So yes, the Magic Mouth theory is always in play with this guy. Obama has grown up thinking he can BS his way past anything. And hey, that belief has carried him a long way. And with the media in his pocket, it may continue to carry him.

Tom M says:"So yes, the Magic Mouth theory is always in play with this guy. Obama has grown up thinking he can BS his way past anything. And hey, that belief has carried him a long way. And with the media in his pocket, it may continue to carry him." Wash your mouth out with soap young man-- this cretin's BS has been exposed to the voters-- well about 54+ of the voters anyway, the days of the BS working are over. Paging MarkO....

"...based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles -- principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings."

The problem is that Islam does not share these principles. We might wish that they did, but they do not & never have.

"As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam -- at places like Al-Azhar -- that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities -- (applause) -- it was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality. (Applause.)"

calligraphy? places of peaceful contemplation? religious tolerance? Has anyone in this administration read the Quran? We are being led by fools.

Well, we can fuss and fuss about the MSM and their being in the bag for O, but I simply want Romney to get "some fire in his belly" and start cracking on the campaign trail and act non milque toast and act as he did during and right after the Republican Convention.

Listening to National Propaganda Radio on the way in this morning, I was amazed that they said not a word about the President's incredible gaffe yesterday. It never existed in their alternate universe.

Instead there was a campaign puff piece that highlighted a single protester at a Romney event in Virginia who would not allow a moment of silence while the Dems attending Obama's event in CO were all dismayed by Romney's politicization of the tragic events....makes you want to puke.

Der Spiegel's headline is about the complete failure of American policy in the ME. But I'm sure it's all Bush's fault.

In the fourth day of protests sparked by an offensive film produced in the United States, demonstrators have attacked Western embassies across the Muslim world, storming German, British and U.S. embassies in Sudan and Tunisia. News is developing fast so we'll keep this information updated, below.

Update (11:27 a.m. EDT): Meanwhile, back in Tripoli, KFC wasn't the only target for protesters furious with the United States. They also trashed a Hardees, per this Reuters photo:

Update (11:23 a.m. EDT): Reuters tweeted that protesters had set fire to an American school in Tunis, but there are no more details than that just yet.

@AJELive
"Like a war zone outside [US] embassy. Police are trying to protect it. Protesters tried to enter from every side." - Yousef Gaigi in Tunis

Update (11:03 a.m. EDT): The protesters in Tunis have taken down the U.S. flag at the embassy there and replaced it with a black one, CNN reports, noting that thick black smoke could be seen coming from the direction of the embassy.

Update (10:55 a.m. EDT): Gunfire has broken out at the U.S. embassies in both Tunisia and Sudan as protesters attacked. Reuters reports five protesters were injured in Tunisia. Meanwhile, Al Jazeera English has posted some of the first video of the attack earlier on the German embassy in Khartoum, Sudan:

windansea:
Thanks for the update. Obama's policies are dead in the Mideast. He is a foreign policy failure. Romney must point this out to the koolaid drinkers. The press is propaganda. Alternate ways of truthful communication need to begin now.

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The University of Texas is evacuating all of its buildings due to threats on campus after a caller claiming to be with al-Qaida said he placed bombs all over campus that would go off around 10 a.m. -- which has since passed.

Cheap and easy for them... They can do this every day of the year and make life hell for any and every institution in the US.

Governor Romney articulated a principled response to the acts of the Mahometan savages within hours - and without errors. He has now returned to regular Goldilocks Optimum programming but I was impressed with his initial reaction and it will continue to play well against BOzo the Clown's gaffematic babble.

Readers here at JOM are not the target of Governor Romney's campaign and we should be thankful not to be in the target market. Life is not easy for brainless emos.

The Atlantic article windandsea linked with the map of the 26+ locations of Muslim mobs rioting, murdering, and flying the black flag contains a link to an Atlantic story from February, "Al Qaeda Is Going Gently into the Night".

I don't think that actually is true, bad wnd story going around, much like Lee Fang's "Insider Kinowlidge Of All Things Koch Brudders" Special Decoder Ring that he found outside the General Mills Dumpster Park and Youth Hostel.

Challenge made to Obama’s eligibility in Illinois after they accepted his forged birth certificate as proof that Obama is a NATURAL Born Citizen to get ballot access there in the primaries. This case is one of only two cases that the the forged birth certificate was entered into court by the Obama defense. Michael Jackson and two other Illinois registered voters made the challenge that has a hearing in Chicago and in Springfield (teleconference) Monday, Sept. 17 at 10:30. Supporters can go to either location for the hearing."

Jane, it is standard operating procedure at most embassies. Sidearms yes, but issuing rifle rounds means it's going to get nasty.That means battle gear as well, which can provoke the mob even further. that's the point when sane people run like hell because bad things are going to happen.

I am sure we were trying to avoid confrontation, which is a large part of State's job. They are there to talk & reason, not fight.

The Marines are there to provide internal security and protect classified material, and defending the embassy grounds is down on the list. The host nation is obliged to provide external security.

There is an escalation procedure that if "A" happens, then we must react with "B". Marines are usually "on" or "off". There's not much of a pause switch involved. They are the sharp end of the stick.

I don’t believe polls that show Obama way ahead of Romney, either nationally or in Ohio, Florida, or Virginia. I do think Obama is a little ahead. If Republicans believe the outlier polls, though, it could demoralize them and become a bit self-fulfilling–which is why there’s so much pushback on them. It would be still more demoralizing if Republicans began a cycle of recriminations: Romney is losing because X or Y. I’m all for conservatives’ giving the Romney campaign good advice based on as sound an understanding of the political situation as they can reach, but I don’t think a sound understanding supports despair.

Jane, it is standard operating procedure at most embassies. Sidearms yes, but issuing rifle rounds means it's going to get nasty.That means battle gear as well, which can provoke the mob even further. that's the point when sane people run like hell because bad things are going to happen.

Matt, You don't have to use it just because you have it. How would the bad guys know?

CecilT: Roger that. I have NO DOUBT, that before the end of January, JEF is the hands down worst FORMER POTUS in history -- BEFORE the end of January! Dragging him out of the WH, will not be easy or dignified.

I have been reading the comments over the past couple of days. This just gets more disgusting each day. If the morons here buy the video caused it and the ME still admires JEF, I give up. My head is ready to explode!

"Chicago Tribune reporters John Chase and Jeff Coen, in their recently released book Golden, claim that former U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald lied when he said he did not know who was leaking information to the Trib about the Rod Blagojevich investigation being conducted by his office.

Chase and Coen state in their book that, “The newspaper also had information about a planned arrest date and that the investigation had spread to whether Blagojevich had corrupted the process of choosing a new senator to replace Barack Obama.”

According to Chase and Coen, the decision to arrest Rod Blagojevich on the morning of December 9th 2008 was made one week earlier by Patrick Fitzgerald.

Coincidentally, his decision was made at the same time Rod Blagojevich was attending the Governor’s Conference in Philadelphia with President-elect Obama..."

I am steaming. I just left the nail salon where 2 women were commiserating on how tough this is on Obama. I couldn't help myself and said, I think its been al little tougher on our embassy folks not to mention the dead ambassador, don't you? They just looked. I think I need ear plugs when I go out in public or I will have a stroke.

Did you read the piece by Ken Allard I C&P'd on the prior thread? Its a must read on the fog of embassy security. Of all the embassies I have been in from Argentina to Indonesia to Kuwait to Saudi Arabia to Belgium to the UK and beyond I have never seen Marines without being locked and loaded and not just handguns. Even in the Embassy on Grovesnor Square they have been known to escalate their arms from time to time depending on how many bad actors are marching. Just saying.....

NJ Jan, I had the same reaction at the gym last night. Take my advice--do not try to say anything against O if the people you are talking to are definite liberals--trust me, they will not change no matter what you say!

The soundbites that Rush is playing on his show today from Paul Ryan's speech are outstanding. Don't know yet if that has or will be addressed on one of TM's threads, but Ryan is knocking it out of the Park.

If I was the media I would bury Ryan's comments because they will resonate with an unbiased public.

Picking on the NYT is perhaps too easy, but Tim Blair has a post noting the contrast between their 1999 editorial defending the display of "Piss Christ" and their 2012 editorial condemning "The Innocence of Muslims."

Oh Good, Obama is greeting the bodies of our dead diplomats. I am so impressed that he was able to get off the golf course. He has chosen to show the move from the plane to the hearses. Isn't that grand?

My God I can just hear Axelrod planning this:

"show em the bodies - show em the bodies, that will get them. People will think you actually care, and it wasn't your policies that caused this mess as long as you show em the bodies"!

Believe me, I know it's useless to comment. I just couldn't help
myself. Actually the silence in the salon after was priceless although next time I go i may need to be armed ... Oops, I forgot. I'm in NJ -- can't do that. Self defense is a no no.

Man, this Jennifer Granholm appearance on the Dating Game in the 70s is nearly as cringe inducing as her fist pumping convention idiocy.

To be fair, pretty much the entire decade of the 70s was cringe-inducing, so perhaps we should grade her on a curve. Not that Sarah got any breaks for videos of her old sportscasting days from the 80s.

I suspect Hillary has gotten in the habit of speaking slowly to make it easier for those who are less fluent in English to keep up. That may be one of the few things which actually qualifies as smart diplomacy, but it sure makes for tedious listening!